Meaning in Life and Suicidal Tendency Among Immigrant (Ethiopian) Youth and Native-Born Israeli YouthYael Wilchek-Aviad

Julie A. Von BerckefeldtStress And Health Lab Fall 2015, Dr. Matthew J. Zawadzki

University of California, Merced

introduction

What we know

Suicide In the last 45 years, suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide One of the three leading causes of death among men and women

aged 15–44 in some countries, the second highest cause of death in the 10–24 year age group

Teen immigrants suicide rates are even higher

Adolescence Physical, emotional and social development of the body and

personality Pressure, distress and anxiety, can lead to suicide attempts

Teen immigrants Intercultural conflicts Problems forming identity Difficulties resolving conflicts because of the lack of cultural role

models

introduction

What we do not know

The connection between meaning in life and suicidial tendencies among youth immigrants from a developing country, and if there are differences when compared to native-born youth.

The hypotheses of this study:

A negative correlation between meaning in life and suicidal tendency will be found.

Native-born youth will display higher levels of meaning in life than immigrant youth.

Immigrant youth will display higher levels of suicidal tendency than native-born youth.

Native-born boys will display the highest level ofmeaning in life and lowest level of suicidal tendency;whereas immigrant girls will display the lowest levelof meaning in life and the highest level of suicidaltendency.

method

Participants 277 students: 162 adolescents of Israeli origin, 115 adolescents of Ethiopian origin 44.4% male, 55.6% female Ages 15-18 yrs. (9th-12th grade)

Instruments Socio-demographics Questionnaire

Age, grade, ethnic origin and religious status; leisure time activities

The Purpose of Life Questionnaire by Crumbaugh & Maholick Meaning of life: perceiving the world as coherent, understandable

and meaningful

Suicidal Tendencies Questionnaire by Zheng (1974) Depression, anxiety and sadness; sense of anger and guilt

Procedure Schools with a high Ethiopian population were selected randomly Questionnaires were given to the students while in their class at a time their

teacher chose. It took them 20 minutes to complete.

conclusions

There was a negative correlation between meaning in life and suicidal tendencies, as well as with the dimensions of suicidal tendencies (depression, anxiety and emotional states).

A negative correlation was found between meaning in life and suicidal tendencies among both immigrant Ethiopian youth and native-born Israeli youth.

No differences in the levels of meaning in life found between the various groups.

Comparing boys to girls: Depression

Israeli origin boys scored lower than Israeli origin girls and Ethiopian origin boys. No differences between girls of Israeli origin and girls of Ethiopian origin. No differences between boys and girls of Ethiopian origin.

Anxiety and emotional state Ethiopian origin boys scored higher in anxiety and

emotional state than Ethiopian origin girls and Israeli origin boys.

questions

What is Frankl's definition of meaning of life, and how is it achieved?

What is existential void and its outcomes?

The Socio-demographic questionnaire given to the students did not include education and economic status of the families.  Why would this information be valuable to know?

Could maturation play a role in suicidal tendencies?  What could examining meaning of life perception by age help identify?

"…suffering cannot defeat a man as long as he is willing to seek meaning; any loss is acceptable if it at least has meaning."

Wilchek-Aviad (Frankl, Lucas)